As silence returned to the pavilion, Yin awoke. The once brightly lit space was now pitch dark, filled only with lingering fragrances of makeup and wine. The eastern sky was beginning to brighten as he calmly walked out. Reaching the gate, he found the group of scholars waiting for him, skeptical that he had stayed the entire night.
Yin pulled out the golden goblet as proof, astonishing them. He recounted the night’s events, and everyone marveled at the exquisite goblet, acknowledging that it was beyond the means of a poor scholar to fabricate such a tale. Only then did they believe him.
Later, Yin Tian Guan passed the imperial examination and became a government official in Fei Qiu. One day, a prominent family surnamed Zhu hosted a banquet in his honor. During the meal, the host instructed a servant to bring out a large wine goblet. However, a long time passed, and the goblet was nowhere to be seen. A young servant boy approached the host, whispering something into his ear while covering his mouth. The host’s expression darkened with anger.
Not long after, the large golden goblet was brought out, and the host used it to toast the guests. Yin Tian Guan examined the goblet closely and realized that its design and carvings were identical to those of the fox spirit’s goblet he had encountered. Puzzled, he asked the host where the goblet had been made.
The host explained: “There are eight of these golden goblets in total. They were commissioned by my ancestors when they held office in the capital, crafted under the supervision of highly skilled artisans. These goblets are family heirlooms, treasures that have been carefully preserved for generations. Because of your esteemed presence today, I instructed the servants to retrieve them from the storage chest. However, they found that only seven goblets remained. At first, I suspected theft, but the dust accumulated on the chest over the past decade was undisturbed, leaving the matter baffling.”
Yin Tian Guan smiled and remarked, “Perhaps the missing goblet became immortal and flew away! Still, an heirloom passed down through generations should not be lost. I have a golden goblet that is strikingly similar to yours, and it would only be right for me to return it to you.”
After the banquet, Yin returned to his official residence, retrieved the golden goblet, and sent it to the Zhu family by courier. Upon examining the goblet, the host was astonished. He personally visited Yin to express his gratitude and inquired about the goblet’s origins. Yin then recounted the entire story in detail.
It was only then that everyone realized that even a fox spirit could manage to acquire items from thousands of miles away. However, it dared not keep such items permanently in its possession.
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